Locomotive engine



Oct. 19 1926.

J. B. ENNIS ET AL LocMoTIvE ENGINE Flled Sept 5 1925 INVENTO f mil/MIM ATTO NEY Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFECE.

JOSEPH B. ENNES, OF PATERSON, AND VLIAIV P. STEELE, OF MLDSON, NEVI JERSEY.

LOCOIVIOTIVE ENGXNE.

Application filed September 5, 1925.

Fig. l is a side elevation of a locomotive engine embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; F ig. 3 is a partial plan view of the cylinder and driving wheel arrangement; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the equalizer between the leading truck and the -forward driving axle.

Our invention relates to steam locomotives and has for its object a combination and relation of parts whereby a single locomotive unit of increased power can be constructed within the existing limits of roadway strength and clearances and at the same vtime conform in its various features to accepted practice.l 7 The power of a steam locomotive is proportional to the weight resting on its driving wheels, and the cylinder power must be so proportioned as to utilize this tractive weight eliiciently. If the cylinders are made too large, they will slip the driving wheels, but if made 'too small, they will not obtain the full value of the adhesive weight. The amount of weight which can be imposed on a pair of driving wheels is limited by the strength of the track, so when locomotives of greater power are required (which implies greater' cylinder power), it is evident that an additionalpair or pairs of driving wheels must be applied in order to secure a proper proportion of adhesive weight for the increased cylinder power. `We have found that under present operating conditions five pairs of coupled drivers in a single group may be satisfactorily operated around average curves, but that the effective adhesive weight produced by the use of this number of wheels would require, in a two-cylinder engine, cylinders of such overall width as to be impossible in many cases for passing existing clearances. Our invention, therefore, contemplates making usev of at least live pairs of coupled drivers in a single group, but in a way to secure more cylinder power than is possible of attainment within existing clearance limitations with two-cylinder locomotives.

To this end we therefore have applied three cylinders to our improved locomotive engine, since we have found that locomotives having three cylinders can be built with a lower adhesive factor than locomotives having but two cylinders, resulting from the fact that the cranks are set at angles of approximately 120o relative to each other, producing thereby a more even turning Serial No. 54,605.

moment with less slipping tendency than in an equivalent two-cylinder locomotive with cranks set at 90o, this lower adhesive factor producing greater cylinder power relative to the weighton drivers than is obtainable with two cylinders. It will, therefore, be seen that by utilizing the three-cylinder prin ciple we are enabled to produce a locomotive with at least live pairs of coupled driving wheels in a single group which has greatly increased power and in which the use of three cylinders, each of which has a smaller diameter respectively than if two were used, permits an overall width of cylinders consistent with average roadway clea ances The size of the parts required to utilize the po-wer of three cylinders and their resultant weight, together with the weight in cident to the application of the three cylinders themselves, requires a distribution of' weight between drivers and leading truck that makes the use of a four-wheel leading truck highly desirable ifnot imperative for best results, since a two-wheel truck will not afford a proper support for the forward end of the engine. A four-wheel truck also permits structural arrangements best suited to the division of power between two axles, and its use is therefore a part of this invention. Our invention also comprises various features which we shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, the driving wheels 2 are ten in number, disposed in five pairs and coupled in the usual manner by the side rods. In front of the drivers and under the cylinders is the four-wheel leading truck 3 disposed so that the weight of the locomotive may be suitably distributed between the drivers and the truck, as by an equalizer 12, shown in Fig. 4, interposed between and transmitting weight to the truck 3 and the front driving axle respectively. The trailer truck 4 may have any number of wheels to suit the load to be carried on this truck.

By using a four-wheeled leading truck, the cylinders 5 and 6 may be advanced to any desired position and yet keep within safe limits of truck axle loading. The cylinder advancement in turn gives suliicient length for connecting the middle connection main rod 8 to the axle 9 of the second set of drivers, and as the outside main rods l0 may be sired division of power between two axles. By connecting the middle main rod to the second set of drivers and the outside main rods to the third set of drivers, the axle of the lirst set of drivers is equipped with a lateral motion device 13 (which may be of any well known design), which enables this foremost set of drivers to follow the leading truck in rounding curves without undue lstrain on the engine frame.

It is obvious that our invention is not limited to the relative sizes or capacities of the three cylinders shown, but includes variations therein when used with at least five pairs of coupled drivers in a locomotive engine in which the weight is equally distributed between drivers and a leading fourwheeled truck, and wherein the cylinder power is exerted upon two driven axles.

The terms and expressions herein employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described, lor portions thereof7 it being recognized that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What we claim is: 1. A steam locomotive engine having 1n combination at least live pairs of coupled driving wheels; three driving cylinders; a middle connection main rod and two outside main rods connected to the respective pistons of the cylinders; and a leading four-wheeled truck affording a support for the forward end of the engine and permitting` such a location of cylinders as allows the connection of the middle main rod to the axle of the second pair of driving wheels from the front and the connection of the outside main rods to the third pair of driving wheels, thereby effecting a division of power between two axles.

2. A steam locomotive engine having in combination at least live pairs of coupled driving wheels; a lateral motion device associated with the axle of the foremost set of driving wheels; three driving cylinders, the power of which is utilized for traction of the said driving wheels; and a leading fourwheeled truck supporting the cylinders 4in such position to permit connection of one cylinder piston to one driving 'axle and two cylinder pistons to another driving axle whereby a division of power -between axles is eHected, both of the said driving axles being to the rear of the first mentioned axle.

JOSEPH B. ENNIS. VILLIAM P. STEELE. 

